Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer discussed Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s progress since moving to Old Trafford during his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Norwich City.
During this pre-match press conference, the Norwegian coach was asked to share his thoughts on Wan-Bissaka’s performances for United and whether or not he thought the 22-year-old would be as good as he has been this season. According to WhoScored, the right-back has earned an impressive average overall rating of 7.21/10 from his 28 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils this season, making him Manchester United’s fifth-highest-rated player in England’s top flight this term.
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Solskjaer responded to this question, saying: “You saw an exceptional defender when you watched him last season. He had a couple of games, especially against [Leroy] Sane against Manchester City, and you think, ‘Wow, he’s so hard to go past’.
“Then when we managed to sign him, you get to know him and he’s a shy boy, but still, he wants to learn, he listens and he’s providing more and more assists, creating chances, crosses. It’s in him because he’s been a winger. The best full-backs at the moment, sometimes they have been wingers before. We rely on the full-backs to go forward in the way we want to play and I’m very pleased with his progress.”
Are you pleased with Wan-Bissaka's offensive contributions?YES
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TIF Thoughts…
As per the Manchester Evening News, Wan-Bissaka, who did play as a winger during his time in Crystal Palace’s academy, has received criticism from some for his offensive ability in the past, however, Solskjaer has shared a more positive outlook on this side of the 22-year-old’s game, sharing plenty of praise for him during his latest press conference.
According to WhoScored, only two Manchester United players have provided more Premier League assists than Wan-Bissaka this season. The right-back also ranks joint-fifth in terms of the number of crosses per game (0.4) he produces, while he has completed the joint-third-highest number of dribbles per game (1.6) of any United player.
These stats show that he has contributed to his side’s attack this season and the full-back may be pleased to see his manager share some appreciation for that side of his game after it had been criticised by others in the past.